Alcohol Confiscated - Caught !!

[Dorset Cruiser]

You may want to stop cruising. The cruise contract give cruise lines the right to search not only your baggage, but also you cabin - any your person.

 

Since the cruise line is not registered in the USA or the UK, your rights are diminished. I doubt the cruise line would abuse the rights since they want to keep customers hsppy, but if you break the rules, they have a LOT of rights to make sure you follow them.

 

Well did not know it was in the passenger contract. Perhaps we will stop cruising - smacks too much of big brother :(

 

However, just looked at section 43 onwards where it says it will search passengers and/or their luggage but it does not actually say they will search luggage in the absence of the passenger ?

Edited October 9, 2013 by Dorset Cruiser

[JimmyVWine]

I would NEVER accept that a cruiseline should have the same access to the contents of my suitcases just to check if I have a bottle of alcohol secreted therein.

 

You "accept" it each and every time you agree to abide by the Contract of Passage, which is a condition precedent to boarding. Over on this side of the pond, our handbags, backpacks and camera cases get searched, and we are subject to a quick "pat down" every time we get to the turnstiles at Disney World, sporting events, concert halls, etc. For us, it is the "new normal". None of these searches or pat downs has anything whatsoever to do with national security and address only private property security. But we live with it. If you aren't hiding anything, then you have nothing to hide.

[Dorset Cruiser]

You "accept" it each and every time you agree to abide by the Contract of Passage, which is a condition precedent to boarding. Over on this side of the pond, our handbags, backpacks and camera cases get searched, and we are subject to a quick "pat down" every time we get to the turnstiles at Disney World, sporting events, concert halls, etc. For us, it is the "new normal". None of these searches or pat downs has anything whatsoever to do with national security and address only private property security. But we live with it. If you aren't hiding anything, then you have nothing to hide.

 

Well we have that in the UK as well. What was being spoken of was the cruise line opening and searching your luggage in your absence. Of course you are there at Disneyland or wherever when they search your bags or 'pat you down'. Its a completely different thing.

[GHDPeter]

Just back from a cruise ( not PCL) and can't believe this thread is still running especially after all the carry on when this policy change was announce back in January.

 

I head off on the Sea Princess in 11 days and have packed 10 bottles into carry on as I am happy to pay the corkage and enjoy my choice of wine where and when I want to.

 

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[antsp]

Last week on the Star, we could have taken pretty much full RRs as the inspection at LA was minimal. In fact we had 6 miniatures from the plane in our quart zip lock bags and they went right through. We also bought $129 worth of booze from Princess for in the cabin and the rest we drank at the bars. We were satisfied with our bar tab at the end of the cruise and don't know if we would bother trying to smuggle in the future. In San Francisco, there was virtually no inspection for booze. In San Diego, it would have been found. Hit or miss. Since you have to go to the liquor store and buy the booze to smuggle, the savings are just not all that much in the big scheme of things. Do I wish I could carry on the brands I prefer? Yes. Do I wish they would sell the in cabin booze in liters at a more reasonable price? Double yes. Still had a great cruise.:D

 

I met a person i work with many years ago on my last cruise, he was very partial to rum and coke, it wax approx $9 for a rum and coke witn tip , his answer was he smuggled a full bottle of morgan spiced on board, bought a coke sticker a made his own whilstbour and about. He carried his rum in his princess coke tumbler and mixed them at his seat be it at a bar, dining room or show. He was very proud of his system. He estimeted it saved him hundreds over the cruise, he said all hs mates do it on celebrity because there drinks are even higher thn princesses.

[antsp]

You "accept" it each and every time you agree to abide by the Contract of Passage, which is a condition precedent to boarding. Over on this side of the pond, our handbags, backpacks and camera cases get searched, and we are subject to a quick "pat down" every time we get to the turnstiles at Disney World, sporting events, concert halls, etc. For us, it is the "new normal". None of these searches or pat downs has anything whatsoever to do with national security and address only private property security. But we live with it. If you aren't hiding anything, then you have nothing to hide.

 

Welcome to the land of the free.

[JimmyVWine]

Well we have that in the UK as well. What was being spoken of was the cruise line opening and searching your luggage in your absence. Of course you are there at Disneyland or wherever when they search your bags or 'pat you down'. Its a completely different thing.

 

I guess that is all a matter of opinion. I consider a physical pat down of my person to be far more intrusive than someone opening my suitcase when I am not present. And I really don't see any difference whatsoever in someone opening my back pack when I am present versus when I am not there. Indeed, not being there assures that I suffer no embarassment should the searcher find something that they think is funny or awkward.

[Dorset Cruiser]

I guess that is all a matter of opinion. I consider a physical pat down of my person to be far more intrusive than someone opening my suitcase when I am not present. And I really don't see any difference whatsoever in someone opening my back pack when I am present versus when I am not there. Indeed, not being there assures that I suffer no embarassment should the searcher find something that they think is funny or awkward.

 

Of course there's a difference! How do you know what they are doing when they are rummaging through your suitcase. If you are present you know EXACTLY what they are doing. There is such a thing as being too trusting.

 

Anyway thats my input for the discussion. It would never affect me in any event as I don't smuggle on alcohol or anything else for that matter. I just think it is completely out of order for anyone to go through a passenger's suitcase in their absence.

 

Might contact Princess to get official policy on this, to maybe set my mind at rest or otherwise.

[antsp]

Our cases are always locked when they go onboard so i dont know how princess can serch them without us being there

[JimmyVWine]

Of course there's a difference! How do you know what they are doing when they are rummaging through your suitcase.

 

I know exactly what they are doing. They are doing their job. I don't need to be present to watch them go through my socks, underwear and shaving cream. In fact, if I were present, I am certain that I would feel much more angst over their technique. Out of sight, out of mind, I say.

 

You can contact Princess about their policy, but it has been re-printed in this thread, word for word from the Cruise Contract. See posts #s 19 and 38.

Edited October 9, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[Dorset Cruiser]

But where do thy say that they will search anything, be it luggage or room, without you being present - it does not! If they search you, then of course you will be present ;).

[JimmyVWine]

But where do they say that they will search anything, be it luggage or room, without you being present - it does not!

 

Of course it does. Read it again. The words "at all times with or without notice" mean just that. Unless you plan on staying in your cabin 24/7, then the phrase "at all times" necessarily includes times when you are not in your cabin and you will not be present during the cabin search. In addition, the contract makes reference to a search with closed circuit cameras. What would be the purpose of that if not to record the search outside of your presence? Finally, the contract refers to a secondary search with you present. What would be the purpose of that if not to complete a search in addition to the one done outside of your presence?

 

 

 

You agree Carrier has, at all times with or without notice, the right to enter and search Your stateroom, personal safe or storage spaces, or to search You, Your baggage and/or personal effects at any location....You will be notified and are required to attend the secondary inspection where any alcohol found in violation of the one bottle policy will be removed and discarded.

Edited October 10, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[Dorset Cruiser]

Sorry, you're right. Never realised that I was agreeing to such a thing but as I say, it would never affect me, or I hope it would not. Taking the clause as read means that I could never now be sure that just anyone was not entering my cabin whenever they felt like it. The company could always use that clause to cover themselves or a rogue employee. As you said, perhaps I should stop cruising and I've only just made Elite :(

Edited October 10, 2013 by Dorset Cruiser

[jagoffee]

Sorry, you're right. Never realised that I was agreeing to such a thing but as I say, it would never affect me, or I hope it would not. Taking the clause as read means that I could never now be sure that just anyone was not entering my cabin whenever they felt like it. The company could always use that clause to cover themselves or a rogue employee. As you said, perhaps I should stop cruising and I've only just made Elite :(

 

If the thought of it really bothers you then you might want to consider also never staying in a hotel. IMO it is not worth worrying. I am glad that the airlines and cruise screen luggage. I do not want a bomb or unauthorized weapon on my cruise or plane.

[BacchusV]

Question about the bullet point "Additional wine . . .". The wording in this bullet point does not specify the size of the bottle, as it does in the bullet point preceeding. Can one argue that there should be no restriction on the size of bottles being charged the $15 corkage fee?

 

I don't recall where I saw it, but I know I saw something that referred to the size as being based on 750ML bottles and that larger sized bottles were not allowed. Smaller were allowed, but still incur a $15 charge.

 

On our Mexico Cruise (Sept 17-27 on the Grand), the four of us brought 16 bottles of wine in total, one free for each of us and the other 12 had the $15 corkage applied. We hand carried our free ones and showed them before we boarded. The other 12 bottles were in wine boxes in a separate piece of luggage, making it easy for them to find and easy for us to get it cleared.

 

I have no issues with the policy, though I wish they were a little more informative of the actual implementation. In this case, after the ship departed, we had to go down to Deck 4 to be on hand to clear the luggage with the wine (they brought it up to our cabin later) and to have stickers applied to each bottle. You don't want to lose that sticker on the way to the dining room.

 

It was all good for us, we brought what we know we like to drink, had at least one bottle per evening at dinner and the others were consumed in the cabins.

[Dorset Cruiser]

If the thought of it really bothers you then you might want to consider also never staying in a hotel. IMO it is not worth worrying. I am glad that the airlines and cruise screen luggage. I do not want a bomb or unauthorized weapon on my cruise or plane.

 

We were not discussing me being in any way against luggage being security screened but about the fact that apparently Princess can search our luggage and cabins at will. Of course I agree with screening luggage, that has been done for many, many years. The original discussion was never about 'bombs' but was about passengers trying to take on too much alcohol on to a cruise ship and cruise security staff opening cases in the absence of passengers to remove and destroy that alcohol when I for one was under the impression that if screening flagged up suspicious items in luggage, then the passenger would be asked to come and open the suspect suitcase for security.

[pablo222]

He carried his rum in his princess coke tumbler and mixed them at his seat be it at a bar, dining room or show. He was very proud of his system. He estimeted it saved him hundreds over the cruise, he said all hs mates do it on celebrity because there drinks are even higher thn princesses.

 

There is nothing funnier than a schlub coming up to a bar with

rum in their coke tumbler -- hoping to use their coke sticker

-- only to have the bartender give the tumbler a quick rinse.

[lukesgrammie]

I have been searching posts and cannot find an answer. Can you or can't you carry on a box of wine that holds four or more bottles and pay the corkage fee for the "extra" bottles?

[JimmyVWine]

I have been searching posts and cannot find an answer. Can you or can't you carry on a box of wine that holds four or more bottles and pay the corkage fee for the "extra" bottles?

You won't find an answer because there isn't really an answer. The luggage tag states the current policy and it specifically mentions 750ml bottles. So technically, no, you can't. But anecdotally, people have reported here that they have gotten boxes of wine on board, some without paying any fee and some paying a pro-rated fee. But those anecdotal reports cannot form the basis for a reasonable expectation of success in the future. All you have to do is run into a security guy who is a "rule follower" and you will be denied, but you won't know that until you board, (or unless Princess comes out on its website, or perhaps on its FB Page and clearly puts an end to the allowance of boxed wine.) As for now, you have to live with the fact that taking boxes of wine is against the current policy, but has been accomplished by past cruisers.

[lukesgrammie]

Thanks...I just figured they would see that the box clearly shows that it contains four bottles and they would charge me for the extra two for my husband and I. They are making it very difficult for those who want to use a box instead of glass bottles...Thanks again for your reply!! Guess I will bring it and see what happens.

[robtulipe]

Thanks...I just figured they would see that the box clearly shows that it contains four bottles and they would charge me for the extra two for my husband and I. They are making it very difficult for those who want to use a box instead of glass bottles...Thanks again for your reply!! Guess I will bring it and see what happens.

Those 3 liters box do fit nicely in the cabin's mini-frig and is our preference for our in cabin wine.

The one question I have is, can some of the box wine be enjoyed in a public area like the MDR since only a portion has had the corkage paid on it?

It's probably a moot point since most wouldn't want to bring a 3 liter box in the MDR and could simply fill a ship's wine glass to take into that venue.

[SeaBands]

were they taken or did you get them to your cabin? I was thinking of putting a dozen on my pockets when boarding and maybe a few in luggage. Just for convenience for in cabin drinks.

[JimmyVWine]

were they taken or did you get them to your cabin? I was thinking of putting a dozen on my pockets when boarding and maybe a few in luggage. Just for convenience for in cabin drinks.

You do have to go through a meta;l detector before boarding. Don't the minis have metal screw caps? I would think that a dozen such caps would set off a metal detector. Easier to spend $20 and have a bottle delivered to your room.

Edited October 11, 2013 by JimmyVWine

[Wehwalt]

were they taken or did you get them to your cabin? I was thinking of putting a dozen on my pockets when boarding and maybe a few in luggage. Just for convenience for in cabin drinks.

 

I did a suite for a one-nighter between Seattle and Vancouver and I didn't drink the miniatures but took them with me and boarded the two-day I did between Vancouver and San Francisco and no one said anything. I actually still have them, I am afraid I am not much of a drinker.

[robtulipe]

were they taken or did you get them to your cabin? I was thinking of putting a dozen on my pockets when boarding and maybe a few in luggage. Just for convenience for in cabin drinks.

Also the minis with a metallic looking label will set of the metal detector. Had that happen to me but since I only had the one mini, left from our flight in, so security let carry it on. Best to put them in your carry on or luggage.